With the lobster season opening Thursday, fishermen facing ever lower prices have organized protests preventing truckloads of Maine lobster from entering three New Brunswick processing plants.

Record catches landed across the Maritimes this year have caused a
market glut, forcing already historically low prices down even further.

By:Andrew RankinSpecial to the Star, Published on Tue Aug 07 2012

SAINT JOHN, N.B.—For 35 years, Alfred Leblanc has managed to eke out a modest living hauling lobsters out of the Northumberland Strait in southeastern New Brunswick. Now, in a fight to keep his way of life, he’s blocking other fishermen from bringing their catches into the province.

Forces beyond his control have collided and are threatening his industry now more than ever. Record catches landed across the Maritimes this year have caused a market glut, forcing already historically low prices down even further.

The problem isn’t exclusive to eastern Canada either. Across the border in Maine fishermen are dealing with the same problem. Even cheaper lobsters are being trucked into New Brunswick processing plants from Maine. That means Leblanc and the more than 300 others that fish this region face prices ranging from $2.50 to $3 a pound.

But with their season about to open Thursday, fishermen aren’t prepared to lose money fishing and have organized a series of protests since last week preventing truckloads of Maine lobster from entering three New Brunswick processing plants. “What are we going to do?” said Leblanc. “Are we going to go out and lose money or just break even? Of course we’re not.”

Leblanc is part of the union representing lobster fishermen in the region, which has been meeting with Minister Michael Olscamp of the province’s department of agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries as well as processing plant representatives. The union is trying to get the price up to $4 a pound or the equivalent in government compensation.

“Call it want you want,” said Leblanc. “Why wouldn’t they help us; the government does it for other companies and business owners. We’re looking for help through this season. We were getting better prices in the 1980s and since then the price of fuel has quadrupled along with everything else.”

Jean-Pierre Cormier, a local lobster fisher in the region for 20 years, was part of last week’s protest and says fishermen in the region are distressed knowing they face a “crisis situation.” He says he sees no solution in sight.

“The protests haven’t helped with the government because we’re not getting anything were asking for. There’s no way we can fish at that rate. The government should help us but they’re not helping us at all.”

More meetings are scheduled.

Many fishermen are blaming processing plants for buying inferior lobster at rates believed to be as low as $1.50 or $1.60 a pound.

Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, called the protests “misguided”. She said lobster fishermen are in the same boat as New Brunswick fishermen. She said the focus should be on changing how the industry is managed. But she agreed it’s time for industry stakeholders to come together to find a solution that works for everyone.

“People are hoping this is a temporary situation,” said McCarron. “Do we really just want to skate along or do we step back and make improvements?”

She said Maine fishermen have no plans to stop or slow down exporting lobster to the province.

“Absolutely not, it’s a world economy,” she said. “It’s a free trade market and I would fully expect this all to continue because these relationships are very much established at this point.”

Ultimately Leblanc believes processing plant owners are also after harvesting licences and quotas. It will happen, he said, without government intervention.

“That’s the way it’s going,” said Leblanc. “Our livelihood is under attack and that’s the reality we’re facing.”

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